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Fossil/Palm PDA Watch Reviewed

SLiK812 writes "Walt Mossberg of the Wall Street Journal has a pretty good review of Palm's and Fossil's new wrist PDA. We all knew some time ago that this was coming out, and was initially covered last November and briefly last month. This is the first review I've seen, and Mossberg does bring up some interesting points, both good and bad. Definitely worth the read before buying it."

21 of 176 comments (clear)

  1. the importance of good editing by mblase · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...even in major newspapers. There are many interesting things about this watch/PDA I always wanted to know, but the fact that "The watches...come with a tiny stylus" is a little more personal than what I wanted to know.

  2. My Plam Pilot is a real fossil by packethead · · Score: 3, Funny

    I have an original Palm Pilot. I should probably upgrade that some day.

    --
    .sig
  3. This won't be a problem for this group!! by scottcha+4 · · Score: 3, Funny

    And if you make a watch too large or weird-looking, the wearer can look so geeky that he may never get a date.

    --
    Sanity is overrated...Being CRAZY is much more fun!!!
  4. I LOVE MINE by sulli · · Score: 5, Funny

    The Fossil
    wrist pda
    is very co
    nvenient i
    f you dont

    mind a ver
    y small di
    splay area
    and a tiny
    stylus.

    But it is
    so very st
    ylish and
    gets me la
    id daily.

    --

    sulli
    RTFJ.
  5. Don't RTFA, this sums it up by goldspider · · Score: 5, Funny
    "Fossil Watch Has Awkward PDA, But Comes With Cool Style Feature"

    Summary: Functionally clumsy, but it looks cool!!

    --
    "Ask not what your country can do for you." --John F. Kennedy
    1. Re:Don't RTFA, this sums it up by xrayspx · · Score: 4, Funny

      Summary: Functionally clumsy, but it looks cool!!

      That watch is my polar opposite, it seems. (probably true of most geeks).

    2. Re:Don't RTFA, this sums it up by Yosemite+Sue · · Score: 2, Funny

      Summary: Functionally clumsy, but it looks cool!!

      Ummm ... I don't think it even *looks* cool. I guess it's a bit more streamlined than those calculator watches ...

      My summary (FWIW): Functionally clumsy, butt ugly.

      YS.

      --
      "Arrr! The laws of science be a harsh mistress." -- Bender
  6. Company name change? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    "VA Linux" changed its name to "VA Software" when they started selling non-linux things.

    So "palm" has to change its name to "bodypart" since they start selling things you don't use in your palm.

  7. Best suited... by gUmbi · · Score: 4, Funny


    For those people who think that a calculator watch just isn't quite geeky enough.

  8. Perfect for haiku by mblase · · Score: 4, Funny

    Fossil PDA:
    Looks very
    high-tech,
    but it's
    Super hard
    to use.

    1. Re:Perfect for haiku by Alien+Being · · Score: 5, Funny

      Fossil PDA
      An ocean of circuitry
      But what time is it?

  9. Sheesh... by Psiren · · Score: 4, Funny

    As it it wasn't hard enough to get a date, now they want me to strap a PDA to my wrist. Yeah, that'll reel 'em in...

  10. Two handed use... by jared_hanson · · Score: 5, Funny

    I found entering text, and even accurately tapping on items on the screen, to be awkward and frustrating -- especially with the watch on my arm, but even when I removed it to hold it with both hands.

    Yeah, I've always had the same problem with my regularly sized Palm. Whenever I hold it using both hands, it is damn near impossible to use the stylus with any accuracy, much less trying to write letters. However, I don't suspect Palm is going to fix this anytime soon. My inclination is that they will just wait for users to evolve a third hand. Even then, I suppose you will have people trying to hold their Palms with all three of their hands.

    --
    -- Fighting mediocrity one bad post at a time.
  11. Does this somehow mean by teamhasnoi · · Score: 5, Funny

    that Flava-Flav will now hang an iBook around his neck?

  12. Puhlease by radiumhahn · · Score: 5, Funny

    Palm pilot...$70
    Palm pilot watch w/ almost no features...$300
    Look on wife's face...priceless.

  13. I actually have a use for this! by pjack76 · · Score: 3, Funny

    It's for tennis. I'm going to program it to keep score/stats for me. After every point, I'll indicate whether I won or lost and why (eg, double-fault, forced error, unforced error, service winner, ace...) Then it can sync with my computer and over time I'll have in-depth statistics on my match, so I can compare myself to Agassi and see the precise scientific extent to which I suck. I'm assuming, of course, that I can actually program the thing. And that it's water resistant. Hm.

    --

    Wow, a lucrative publishing contract! I don't have to be evil anymore. --Meteor

  14. Re:shortcomings by camusflage · · Score: 4, Funny
    Imagine a hot girl at Starbucks asking you the time
    This is slashdot. What makes you think most readers are capable of imagining CONVERSATION with a hot girl?
    --
    The truth about Scientology, Xenu, and you: Operation Clambake
  15. Re:I can't imagine by PD · · Score: 3, Funny

    Eliza! Someone has hooked an Eliza program into Slashdot! Cool.

  16. Re:World's Smallest Spam Whisked daily to your wri by imnoteddy · · Score: 4, Funny
    STYLUS-EN
    LARGER!!!
    add THREE
    INCHES to
    your styl

    us!!

    --
    No electrons were harmed creating this post, though some may have been subjected to electrical and/or magnetic fields.
  17. Pssst! by Mr.+Bad+Example · · Score: 2, Funny


    Hey, buddy...wanna buy a Beowulf cluster of these?

  18. Yeah, right. by volpe · · Score: 4, Funny


    For those people who think that a calculator watch just isn't quite geeky enough.

    Uh huh. And the rest of us look like James Bond with our tri-corders clipped to our belts, right?